Baby pant-bib

ABSTRACT

The disclosure concerns a baby pant-bib adapted to cover at least an upper portion of an infant&#39;s legs, a portion of the infant&#39;s torso, and a portion of the infant&#39;s crotch during use. In this regard, the baby pant-bib functions to protect the infant&#39;s under-worn outfit from debris.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

The claimed invention relates to baby bibs, and more particularly, to a baby bib having a body panel and a crotch panel coupled to the body panel for improving protection of debris and soiling to the under-worn clothing of an infant.

Description of the Related Art

Baby bibs, or infant bibs, form a crowded and well-established art.

While conventional bibs generally serve to protect the under-worn clothing of an infant wearer, all of these conventional bibs fail to protect the crotch area of the infant's clothing. This problem is intensified with spillage of fluids, which tend to run to undesired areas thereby soiling an outfit. Other bibs simply do not effectively deflect or otherwise protect the crotch region of an infant bib-wearer.

As such, there remains a need in the art for an improved baby bib.

SUMMARY

The disclosure concerns a baby pant-bib adapted to cover at least an upper portion of an infant's legs, a portion of the infant's torso, and a portion of the infant's crotch during use. In this regard, the baby pant-bib functions to protect the infant's under-worn outfit from debris.

In a general embodiment, the baby pant-bib includes: a body panel including a torso portion and each of a first leg portion and a second leg portion extending from the torso portion, the first and second leg portions diverging from one another forming a forked-notch, the forked notch including an apex wherein the torso portion and each of the first and second leg portions meet at the apex; characterized in that the baby pant-bib further comprises: a crotch panel attached to the body panel at a midline stitch, wherein the midline stitch is disposed adjacent to the apex.

In some embodiments, the body panel may comprise a chest portion configured to cover a chest, upper arms and shoulders, and sides of an infant.

In some embodiments, the baby pant-bib further comprises a neck portion disposed adjacent to the chest portion, wherein the neck portion includes an aperture for engaging the pant-bib about a neck of the infant.

In other embodiments, the baby pant-bib further comprises a collar-band, the collar band attached to the chest portion and is configured to engage the pant-bib about a neck of the infant.

The baby pant-bib may comprise a torso-strap attached to the body panel at a first side, and configured to wrap around a waist of the infant where the torso-strap is adapted to further attach to the body panel at a mounting feature, wherein the mounting feature is disposed at a second side of the body panel opposite the first side.

In some embodiments, the torso-strap and mounting feature comprise one of: hook and loop elements, snaps, buttons, or magnetic elements for securing the torso-strap about the waist of the infant.

In other embodiments, the crotch panel is configured to cover a crotch of the infant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features will be described in the illustrated embodiments as represented by the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A shows a front side view of a baby pant-bib in accordance with a first embodiment;

FIG. 1B shows an alternative front side view of the baby pant-bib in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 1C shows a rear side view of the baby pant-bib in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 2A shows a front side view of a baby pant-bib in accordance with a second embodiment;

FIG. 2B shows a rear side view of the baby pant-bib in accordance with the second embodiment;

FIG. 2C shows an alternative rear side view of the baby pant-bib in accordance with the second embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows a front side view of a baby pant-bib in accordance with a third embodiment; and

FIG. 4 shows the baby pant-bib in accordance with yet another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

For purposes of explanation and not limitation certain details and descriptions are included herein such that one having ordinary skill in the art may practice the invention as-claimed. However, the ordinary skilled artisan will recognize that the claimed invention may be practiced in certain other embodiments, which are not necessarily described, by combining, rearranging, or varying certain features disclosed herein, with or without other features as would be known in the art, in order to arrive at a substantially similar baby pant-bib. As such, the description is not intended to be limiting of the scope of the invention as-claimed.

In each of the illustrated embodiments, the baby pant-bin comprises: (i) a body panel including a torso portion and each of a first leg portion and a second leg portion extending from the torso portion, the first and second leg portions diverging from one another forming a forked-notch, the forked notch including an apex wherein the torso portion and each of the first and second leg portions meet at the apex; characterized in that the baby pant-bib further comprises: (ii) a crotch panel attached to the body panel at a midline stitch, wherein the midline stitch is disposed adjacent to the apex.

The crotch panel 120 is configured to cover the crotch area of the infant and/or his or her clothing.

The first and second leg portions are configured to cover the respective legs of the infant and his or her outfit.

Now, turning to the drawings, FIGS. 1(A-C) illustrate a novel baby pant-bib in accordance with a first embodiment.

FIG. 1A shows a front side view of a baby pant-bib in the first embodiment. The baby pant-bib 100 includes a body panel 110 and a crotch panel 120. The body panel comprises a torso portion 111, and each of a first leg portion 112 a and a second leg portion 112 b. Each of the torso portion and first and second leg portions may comprise a monolithic piece of fabric, or may form a combination of distinct fabric sections sewn or otherwise attached together. The fabric is preferably water-resistant, and may comprise a plastic or plastic-coated material.

The body panel 110 includes a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface is adapted to face away from the body of an infant wearer and the second surface is configured to contact the body (or clothing) of the infant wearer.

The crotch panel is attached to the body panel at the second surface, effectively extending beneath the first and second leg portions when worn by the infant.

The first and second leg portions 112 a; 112 b diverge from one another forming a forked-notch 118, the forked notch including an apex 119 wherein the torso portion and each of the first and second leg portions meet at the apex. The crotch panel is shown attached to the body panel at a midline stitch 125, wherein the midline stitch is disposed adjacent to the apex.

FIG. 1B shows an alternative front side view of the baby pant-bib 100 in the first embodiment. Here, the first and second legs 112 a; 112 b are folded up to reveal the crotch panel 120 as-attached to the body panel 110 of the baby pant-bib.

The baby pant-bib is shown with chest portion 113, and torso-strap 114. The chest portion 113 is configured to cover a chest of the infant. The torso-strap 114 is attached to the body panel 110 at a first side S1 and configured to wrap around a waist or backside of the infant where the torso-strap is further configured to attach to the body panel at a mounting feature 115, wherein the mounting feature is disposed at a second side S2 of the body panel opposite the first side.

FIG. 1C shows a rear side view of the baby pant-bib in the first embodiment. Here, the body panel comprises shoulder portions 116 a; 116 b, and a neck-receiving aperture 117. The torso-strap 114 and the crotch panel 120 are further illustrated. The shoulder portions may be detachable from one-another via a snap, button, or other similar fastening element as would be appreciated by one with skill in the art.

The torso-strap and mounting feature may comprise one of: hook and loop elements, snaps, buttons, or magnetic elements; or a combination thereof. A function of the torso-strap includes attaching the baby pant-bib to the infant.

FIG. 2A shows a front side view of a baby pant-bib in accordance with a second embodiment. Here, the baby pant-bib is devoid of shoulder portions, and instead takes the form of a conventional apron with the added improvement of the crotch panel 120 as-shown. The apron-style pant-bib comprises a collar-band 130 configured to attach around a neck of the wearing infant. A chest portion 113 is configured to cover a chest of the infant, a torso portion 111 is configured to cover a mid-section of the infant, and each of the first and second leg portions 112 a; 112 b, respectively, is configured to cover one of the legs of the infant. A forked-notch is disposed between the leg portions and an apex 119, and a midline stitch 125 attaches the crotch panel to the body panel of the pant-bib. The apron-style pant-bib as depicted in FIG. 2A may be secured around a body of the infant wearer via a torso-strap 114 and mounting features 115.

FIG. 2B shows a rear side view of the baby pant-bib in accordance with the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the baby pant-bib comprises a collar-band 130 as shown, the collar band is attached to the chest portion and is configured to engage the pant-bib about a neck of the infant. In this figure, the first and second leg portions 112 a; 112 b, respectively, are folded up to reveal the crotch portion 120 of the pant-bib.

In certain embodiments, the collar-band 130 may comprise an elastic band fixed to the body panel at each end. In this regard, the collar-band may slip over the head of a baby. Alternatively, a mounting fastener may be implemented as understood by one with skill in the art.

FIG. 2C shows an alternative rear side view of the baby pant-bib in accordance with the second embodiment. Here, the midline stitch 125 is shown at the attachment of the crotch panel and the body panel of the pant-bib.

FIG. 3 shows a front side view of a baby pant-bib in accordance with a third embodiment. Here, the body panel of the baby pant-bib comprises a torso portion, and first and second leg portions along with a crotch panel. Various shapes and designs of the body panel may be provided with a crotch panel as described herein or as would be appreciated by one with skill in the art.

FIG. 4 shows yet another embodiment, wherein the pant-bib comprises a first torso-strap 114 for securing the pant bib about a waist area of an infant, and the pant bib further comprises one or more second straps 114 b; 114 c for securing the first and second leg portions about the legs of the infant wearer. Each of the straps may comprise mounting features 115; 115 b; 115 c for securing the straps about the pant-bib.

In certain embodiments, not illustrated herewith, the pant-bib may further comprise sleeves. In other embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the pant-bib comprises shoulder coverings.

Other embodiments which are not expressly illustrated or described may be similarly practiced as would be appreciated by one having skill in the art.

While various embodiments have been described within the context of application as an infant bib, it is certainly within the scope of the invention to implement the pant-bib in similar applications for toddlers and other children, even adults.

These and other features of the invention will be appreciated by one having skill in the art.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

-   Baby pant-bib (100) -   Body Panel (110) -   Torso Portion (111) -   First Leg Portion (112 a) -   Second Leg Portion (112 b) -   Chest Portion (113) -   Torso-Strap (114) -   Mounting Feature (115) -   Shoulder Portions (116 a; 116 b) -   Neck-Receiving Aperture (117) -   Forked-Notch (118) -   Apex (119) -   Crotch Panel (120) -   Midline Stitch (125) -   Collar-Band (130) -   First Side of Body Panel (S1) -   Second Side of Body Panel (S2) 

We claim:
 1. A baby pant-bib, comprising: a body panel including a torso portion and each of a first leg portion and a second leg portion extending from the torso portion, the first and second leg portions diverging from one another forming a forked-notch, the forked notch including an apex wherein the torso portion and each of the first and second leg portions meet at the apex; characterized in that the baby pant-bib further comprises: a crotch panel attached to the body panel at a midline stitch, wherein the midline stitch is disposed adjacent to the apex.
 2. The baby pant-bib of claim 1, wherein the body panel comprises a chest portion configured to cover a chest of an infant.
 3. The baby pant-bib of claim 2, further comprising a neck-receiving aperture disposed adjacent to the chest portion, wherein the neck-receiving aperture is configured to engage the pant-bib about a neck of the infant.
 4. The baby pant-bib of claim 2, further comprising a collar-band, the collar band attached to the chest portion and is configured to engage the pant-bib about a neck of the infant.
 5. The baby pant-bib of claim 1, further comprising a torso-strap, the torso-strap being attached to the body panel at a first side and configured to wrap around a waist of an infant where the torso-strap is further configured to attach to the body panel at a mounting feature, wherein the mounting feature is disposed at a second side of the body panel opposite the first side.
 6. The baby pant-bib of claim 5, wherein the torso-strap and mounting feature comprise one of: hook and loop elements, snaps, buttons, or magnetic elements.
 7. The baby pant-bib of claim 5, further comprising one or more second straps, wherein each of the one or more second straps is configured to secure one of the leg portions about a corresponding leg of the infant.
 8. The baby pant-bib of claim 1, wherein the crotch panel is configured to cover a crotch of the infant. 